


The Tempest of Music

by KoshiClarkson



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Best Friends, Bromance, Coming of Age, Eventual Romance, F/M, Gen, Light Angst, Sweet, Urban Fantasy, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-11-04 09:51:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17896250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KoshiClarkson/pseuds/KoshiClarkson
Summary: Tyson Reed is a high school senior whose music wakens a sleeping presence.  What is the creature and how will it impact his life and plans for the future?





	1. The Presence Awakens

In complete darkness only broken by the occasional faint drip reverberating off of empty cave walls, a form sat pinched between two stalagmites, half listening to the echoes. The vacuum of sound only heightened a new, distant sound emerging, too faint to hear precisely what it was. After a few minutes it was loud enough to be easily identified. It was laughter, oddly forced laughter. Then another voice joined the first. It was hard to make out what they were saying, the cave walls muffled the voices to the point where they were incomprehensible. A new sound cut through the vacuum, the creaking of stiff old bones attempting to investigate the intruders.

Outside, two beams of light danced along the side of a rocky hill. A teenage boy was bounding up its side carrying a flashlight. He was trying to encourage the girl following behind him, who was muttering under her breath.

“You know Tyson, I heard that sunsets are actually much prettier than sunrises,” she griped.

“Not when the sunrise comes over the ocean,” he replied climbing over another rock.

“We could just watch the sun set over the bay, it’s really not that different.”

He set down the backpack he was carrying in a small flat area near the top of the hill and went back to offer her a hand up the final rocks. She rejected the help.

“This is the perfect place to watch it. Mom used to take me here when I was a kid to watch dad sail out.”

Breathing hard she sat down on a nearby boulder and dangled her legs over the edge. While she caught her breath, she gazed at the view around her. “Ok, it is beautiful. I’ll give you that.”

A soft breeze picked up, so the boy went over to his backpack and took out the blanket he had packed and wrapped it gently around her shoulders. She thanked him and pulled it tighter. He sat down on the boulder next to hers just as the sun was starting to peak out from the other side of the world. They sat in silence watching it slowly rise. She was enjoying the sounds of nature around her and the experience of her first sunrise. He was nervously wondering when it would be appropriate to start talking again.

When the sun had come up, she turned to thank her guide for bringing her there.

He smiled at her. “That’s not all Tabatha.”

She looked at him with a confused stare while he walked over to large rock near his backpack. Reaching behind it, he pulled out a guitar he had stashed earlier. When he pulled it from the case, she could see that it was old and well-used. He was so focused on getting set up, that he didn’t notice her expression slowly turning uncomfortable.

“With all the time we’ve been spending together working on the song for the festival, I made one for you.”

She sat there uncomfortably, trying to not be rude. The song was very rudimentary, even more than his playing. The rhymes were forced but heartfelt. His nervousness and missed notes were horribly apparent.

When it ended they sat there in awkward silence for a few seconds.

His voice was shaking slightly as he spoke. “Well, um. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’ve had a lot of fun writing music with you, but I wanted to know if you wanted to just hang out… outside of that.”

“Look, Tyson. I told you at the beginning that I just wanted a duet partner for the competition. I’m sorry, but, I would rather just keep it at that.”

“Oh… yeah. I understand.” He tried to play it off, but his disappointment was still obvious.

They marinated in their tension filled silence.

“Hey, uh. My mom needed some help cleaning out our garage today, so I really got to get back.”

“I can walk you. Just let me grab my things.” He started to get up to help but she waved him off.

“No, it’s fine. It’s a straight shot to our bikes.”

“I can walk you to it and come back for this stuff.”

She got up and slowly started walking backwards. “No, I don’t want to make you keep walking back and forth. Thanks for taking me to see my first sunrise. It was really nice.”

“Oh, no problem.”

She quickly took off the blanket and sat it on the boulder. She nodded uncomfortably and climbed down the hill. Tyson sighed, leaning against one of the upright boulders and tried to un-creepily watch to make sure she got to her bike safely. When she rode off he put his guitar back in its case and grabbed the blanket she’d left. He rolled it up and stuck it above the picnic breakfast food for two that he’d also packed. He loaded all his stuff and slowly made his way down the hill towards the path.

A creaking figure watched him go from a dark opening between the rocks. As Tyson rode off on his bike the shadow slowly pulled its way out into the breaking daylight.

Two days later a teen was sitting on the retaining wall outside the only high school in the nearby town of Eaglewood, Virginia. He was average height with unkept sandy hair. He bounced his heels on the concrete and appeared to be waiting for someone. Mr. Brady, the Principal, walked out of the school’s front doors. When he saw the student, his voice boomed.

“Mr. Ross, don’t you have somewhere to be? Class starts in less than two minutes. I hope that you won’t start causing trouble just because it’s your last semester here.”

Surprised, he jumped off the wall and turned. “Sorry Sir, Ty is later than usual.”

“Should you be keeping friends who are a bad influence?” Without waiting for a reply Mr. Brady walked back inside.

A black-haired kid a few inches taller speed walked up around the corner. “I’m not late yet.”

“Really Ty. You just had to get me in trouble.”

His friend smiled. “You’re not in trouble… yet. But Mrs. Brady will kill us if we’re late to English.”

They both hurried inside and down the hall to the left. They made it in the first door to the left 10 seconds before the bell rung.

The middle-aged women at the front of the room watched them walk to their seat with one arm raised to write on the board.

“You should leave home earlier if you have trouble getting places on time.”

She started to call attendance as a girl with shoulder length, light red hair tried to quietly sneek in. Mrs. Brady stopped and the class stared as she slid into her spot.

“Ms. Tabatha. If you waste your classmates and my time by being late we will waste your time.”

She sighed. “How long?”

“The usual. Ten minutes after school or your lunch, your choice.”

“I guess we have another lunch date.”

The class laughed until the teacher used her famous death stare. She finished roll call with no further interruption then started her lesson.

During the next two class periods the whole school was buzzing with talk about a new student. Their town was small and close nit. People moving in was rare, especially in late February. New of a new high schooler was even stranger because no family had moved recently.

When the bell rang for lunch most of the students went to the cafeteria, but Tyon headed for the choir room.

“Hey Mr. Moulden.”

“Ah, where’s Shawn?”

“He forgot his lunch, so he went to grab something from the lunchroom.”

“Ok, I have to go to the office to check on my paperwork for the choir concert. It seems that they double booked. I hope I can trust you not to tear the place apart while I’m gone.”

“Sure.”

Tyson sat on the bottom bleacher, took out his sandwich and started to chow down. It was weirdly quiet for a band room until his friend showed up ten minutes later.

“It was a mad house, but I escaped.”

“Good, I was about to send out a search party for you.”

Shawn’s eyes narrowed. “I almost did that this weekend when you kept dodging my texts.”

He sat down next to Ty and unwrapped his wrap. “I guess things with Tabatha didn’t go so well.”

He half chuckled. “You could say that… I..."

"Crashed and burned?”

His friend nodded.

“I told you the song was too much.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Tyson was now working through a bag of chips.

Shawn slyly caught a glance and decided to change the subject. “Guess what. We had a new student in history. A girl, and a cute one.”

“Come one, who on earth wants to move to this nowheresville.”

“I don’t know. I don’t remember any place being bought lately or moving vans. She didn’t say much in class and I didn’t see her in the lunchroom.”

Tyson laughed. “Don’t start following her around already.”

“Oh, then I guess I’ll just write her a song.”

“As long as you don’t sing it to her. Making her ears bleed won’t get you far.”

As they laughed, Mr. Moulden walked back in.

“Good to see that you two didn’t through a raging party while I was gone.”

Shawn smiled. “We couldn’t have one without you.”

Their choir teacher sat down in his chair and pulled out a sandwich of his own. “Quite true.”

“Did you get everything worked out for the concert?”

He looked nervous. “I’ll tell everyone during class.”

“That good huh?” Shawn’s trademark grin was plastered all over his face.

“Some patience would do you good Shawn.”

The two classes in between lunch and choir were hard for the distracted Tyson but they eventually passed. He hurried to his class and took his seat. Shawn followed soon after. Mr. Moulden saw Ty’s expectant face and sarcastically returned the expression.

After the bell rang Mr. Moulden did a quick head count, which went fast in a class of less than 20.

“I have some news about our end of the year concert. The event center where we always play doubled booked us and apparently the other group gets priority. So, we will be holding our concert in the school cafeteria or gym unless we can find something else.”

There was collective groaning and Adam piped up.

“Like Eaglewood has anywhere else!”

“I know it’s not ideal but that’s just how it is this time.”

There was more groaning.

“Ok, enough of that. Take out your music and we’ll take it from the top.”

Begrudgingly the student took out their sheet music. The song started slowing with the sopranos who were off key due to a combination of lack of practice and the song being in German. Slowly the remaining groups joined but it didn’t go much smoother. Suddenly a new voice entered. It was strong and resonating, unperturbed by the foreign language. Shocked the class stopped singing and turned to the figure who was standing in the doorway.

Shawn elbowed Ty and whispered. “That’s the new student I was telling you about.”

He looked up at the newcomer. There was something eerie about her. She looked perfectly average. She was neither tall, nor short, dark, nor light. Her brown eyes and curly brown hair didn’t stand out. But there was still something that seemed weird about her. Maybe it was how he couldn’t pin down her expression. She had an air of solid self-confidence, like she couldn’t be shaken or surprised. But it wasn’t an arrogant self-assuredness like some of his other classmates.

“I’m sorry to interrupt. But I had a hard time finding this room.” Ty was the only one who seemed to notice something off with her smile. It seemed warm and sweet but it appeared slightly ingenuine.

“Ah, yes. Mr. Brady said we’d be getting a new student. He didn’t tell me your name though.”

“I just go by Mallory.”

“Welcome Ms. Mallory. Adam can you get her a book and show her where we are? Thank you.”

She sat next to the stocky, inviting junior with short, dark brown hair who gave her an extra song book.

“Ok, let’s take it from the top again.”

The new singer started off with the sopranos. There was a marked difference this time. Maybe it was the practice they just had or maybe she was somehow guiding them. Whatever the reason, they were more on key this time. Even the other groups sang better when they joined. Tyson was most surprised by Shawn staying on key. He had roped his childhood friend into joining choir their senior year, despite his limited singing ability, because the school had threatened not to have the class due to insufficient students.

“See, I told you guys you’d get the hang of this song eventually.” Mr. Moulden seemed very pleased with their improvement and not the least suspicious.

The rest of the class was spent practicing various songs for their concert. Each one was the best they’d done which did wonders for class morale. The last bell of the day rang before they knew it. Several of the students walked up to the new student and started asking general questions like where she was from. Shawn wanted to join in but Tyson convinced him that they needed to head out to study for their math quiz the next day. Walking past the crowd around Mallory, Tyson noted that her answers seemed to be evasive.

Shawn walked with Ty to their lockers at the opposite end of the school, in the hall where their English class was, to pick up their text books. Afterwards they walked by their English room on their way outside. They heard a sound coming from it that they hadn’t before, Mrs. Brady laughing. She was standing with Tabatha and the new student. The boys tried to pass by without being seen peaking in. However, Mallory’s eyes caught theirs and gave them a quick odd stare before immediately morphing back to a jovial expression.

After walking out the front door they followed the sidewalk to the right where Tyson had come from this morning. Around the nearby corner were the bike racks where they had left their bikes before school. After retrieving them, they rode to Tyson’s house which was only 10-minutes away. The house they rode up to looked similar to the other homes on the street. It was part of the newest neighborhood in Eaglewood, despite being almost two decades old. Tyson’s mom had insisted they paint the outside a grayish blue a few years after they moved in to help it stand out a little from the surrounding red, brown, and black homes.

The boys leaned their bikes against the outside of the house near the front door. Walking in the unlocked door they made their way to the dining room immediately to the left and dropped their backpacks off on the table. Ty went to the kitchen through the door on the side and grabbed a loaf of chocolate chip zucchini bread his mom had made the day before. He brought it back to the table where Shawn had already taken out his fragmented notes and the graded pop test they had the previous Friday. Ty tore off a piece of bread and handed it to his friend who took a bite.

"Oh, wow that's a lot of chocolate in there! I guess work has been more stressful than usual for your mom."

"One of her coworkers just had a kid so she has to pull more hours."

"Is she still talking about just retiring?"

"She's been talking about that since she started there four years ago."

Shawn was looking down at his notes. "Urgh, when did math turn into English class. 'Choose the best answer.' 'Which of the following is the worst way to gather statistical data?' 'A' and 'C' are both bad!"

After an hour of metaphorically slamming their heads into the table over their Probability and Statistics class, Tyson got a text.

"Oh, is it Tabs again?" Shawn smirked at his friend.

"No, she hasn't responded to my messages since Saturday." He checked his phone. "It’s from mom. ‘I have to work a little longer. There's pork chops in the fridge and yellow rice on the counter. Can you get dinner started?’"

He got up to check in the kitchen.

"Hey Ty. Want me to just head out?"

"It looks like there's enough chops, you could stay. But you'd have to help me with dinner."

"Is that how you treat a guest?" Shawn's voice oozed sarcasm.

"We've been friends since before we were born. Just get over here and help."

He got up from the table. "At least I don't have to look at Prob. Stats anymore."

Ty seasoned the meat and started heating up the frying pan while his friend got the rice on to boil. Just as he was starting to cook the chops the front door opened, and a woman's voice called out that she was home.

“Hey mom.”

“Hello, Mrs. Reed.”

“Oh, is Shawn over?”

A few seconds later she walked around the corner. She was tall and slender, her emerging white hairs hidden well in her blonde hair.

“We have a quiz tomorrow and someone… just doesn’t get it.”

Shawn returned Tyson sarcastic expression. “And someone else… just can’t explain it.”

"Well, I do hope you'll join us for dinner. It smells quite good."

"How was work mom?"

"The shop is almost dead at four in the morning. We started getting some coffee traffic by five. However, most of my typical bait customers started showing up around six like normal.”

She cleaned up the dishes in the sink while Tyson finished cooking and Shawn set the table. By the time they were done, Tyson's father came home. He was unusually tall and broad. His jet-black hair was kept short, as was his beard. He exchanged greetings with everyone and they sat down for dinner.

Jane greeted her husband with a kiss. “How was work Honey?”

“We had a five-hour charter today going out to sea. It was a bunch of college students who obviously had never fished before but tried to convince us that they had. It took an hour to clean up their mess. We are going to have a later run tomorrow so don’t wait dinner on me.”

“I’m sorry Darling. I’ll be sure to save something for you.” She turned to her son. “How was school today Ty?”

“We lost our venue for the choir concert. They’re thinking about having it in the gym or cafeteria.”

She gave her no sympathy mother smile. “Well. We used to have all of our plays and concerts in the gym when I went to school there. The McNeal Center wasn’t built until… around the time your father and I got married I think.”

“That sounds about right.”

Tyson had hoped for sympathy. “But we’ve always had it at the Center. And this is our last concert before graduation.”

“Ty, we understand your frustration but having the concert in the school isn’t a death sentence for it. We had some great plays and concerts there.”

Shawn decided to change the subject. “We also got a new student today.”

“That’s odd. Most of the people who move here are temporary deck hands, not families with high schoolers.”

“I haven’t heard anything from the other captains. What’s the student like?”

“She seems really cool but quiet. She was smart in History today, she answered all of Mr. Bloomburg’s trick questions, and she fit in well in our choir class.”

Mr. Reed said under his breath, “your choir could really use more people who can actually sing.”

“Darling!”

Tyson was looking down at his plate, moving the rice with his fork. “She was kind of weird.”

They stopped and turned toward Ty who was still looking at his rice.

“What do you mean Dear?”

“It’s just… a feeling.”

“Come on! She’s just quiet. Not everyone is as loud as Adam.”

“Maybe you’re right…”

Tyson’s mom decided to change the topic again after a few seconds of silence. “Was that math I saw when you cleared the table?”

This worked. Shawn spent the next ten minutes or so ranting about how math was supposed to have clear right and wrong answers. By this time dinner was finished and they started moving the dirty dishes to the kitchen.

Again, Tyson’s mother didn’t display sympathy. “If you hate the class this much you shouldn’t have taken it. You didn’t need it to graduate.”

“But Mr. Benson was so cool in Algebra II and we needed some class. They took away free study periods.”

Tyson’s father just laughed at Shawn’s perceived foolishness, walked up behind his wife, and kissed her on the cheek.

“I need to rest for a little bit, Jane.”

She turned her head and smiled. “Ok, Darling. I can get the boys to help today.”

He went to the living room and sat down on the couch. Tyson’s mom put away the leftover food while the boys washed up. Afterwards, Shawn thanked them one more time for dinner and headed home on his bike. Ty went to his room to finish up the last of his homework that was due the next day, ignoring the book reading due for English class at the end of the week. He pulled out the guitar case he hadn’t touched since he brought it home the previous Saturday morning. Opening it up, he stared at the guitar for a little bit. It had been his father’s when he was a bachelor running with different crabbing and fishing crews. It had helped Mr. Ross keep sane during many months at sea.

Tyson started to get lost in his imaginings of adventure at sea. The crazy shipmates, the large hauls, and wild storms like the ones his father had spoken of so much. With graduation looming he came back to the nagging question people kept asking. ‘What are you going to do with your life?’ The fear of not having an answer to such a seemingly all-important question raised anxiety. What if…

Tyson’s spiraling trail of thought was broken by a familiar sound. Downstairs his mother was playing their little upright piano in the living room. Calm started to creep in. Jane used to play the piano a lot when he was a kid, especially when his dad had to work overnight. His father’s stories about the wild storms he’d lived through caused young Tyson to often be afraid that his dad had died when he didn’t come home at night. Tyson quietly walked down the stairs to the living room and sat down next to his father who resting on the couch listening to the soothing music. When the song ended she turned to Ty.

“Have you decided whether or not you’re going to still enter the Spring Young Artists Competition now that Tabs isn’t going to duet with you?”

“I’m not sure. I only actually signed up because she had wanted to.”

“You’ve begged me to take you to SYAC every year since you were in fifth grade. And you’ve been making up songs since you could talk.” She laughed. “You almost drove your father mad with your constant singing when he took you on long fishing trips.”

“But my songs aren’t good enough to play in front of people.” He grimaced at his recent example.

“Well. You’re still already signed up. I don’t want to see you just give up on something you’ve loved for so long. Just… promise me you’ll think about it.”

“Ok mom.”

She motioned him to come over.

“Sit. Unless you think you’re not good enough to play alongside your mother.”

She scooched over, and Ty walked over and sat down on the bench with her. Ever since he was a child his mom had been trying to teach him to play the piano. He could read sheet music but only knew a handful of songs. However, there was one he knew by heart. It was his father’s favorite. It was a duet Ty and his mom played together for most of his life. It wasn’t written as a duet, but she had turned it into one so that eight-year-old Ty could play it with her.

It started slow, building atmosphere. On the couch Mr. Reed’s eyes opened, it only took a few notes for him to know exactly which song they were playing. The decibels raised, and the tempo quickened. Their hands started to race along the keys simultaneously trying to be faster than, and yet also in sync with, the other pianist’s hands. There was chaotic harmony and flow to the flying of their fingers. The song periodically calmed and turned turbulent as the crashing seas. The nostalgia of the song that defined his childhood swirled inside Tyson. The ending always felt a goodbye to a dear friend.

His mother gave him a loving side-hug and kiss on the temple.

“Thank you for humoring your old mom. But don’t think you can get out of doing your reading for English.”

Ty groaned in an exaggerated manner and wished his parents good night. He went to his room and grabbed the book but as he tried to start reading his mind was racing with arguing back and forth with himself on whether or not he should still join SYAC solo. In the middle of a thought he fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Shawn's 18th birthday coming up he butts heads with his best friend over a major life decision with lasting consequences.

The next morning Ty beat Shawn to school and stood outside the front doors debating on whether or not to go inside without him. He decided that he didn’t want to risk facing Tabatha alone. As Ty was metaphorically kicking himself for not just bucking up and going inside he saw Mallory coming around the corner of the school opposite to the bike locks. She had a nondescript resting face. When she saw him, she stared, which was simply returning the face Ty was making. She slowed down as she got near the doors where he was.

“Is everything alright Tyson?”

“How do you know my name?”

“We have choir together.”

“Oh, right. Everything’s fine. I’m just waiting for Shawn.”

“Ty!”

Shawn had rounded the corner and was waving to them. Tyson was thankful to not be along. His friend bounced up the stairs towards them.

“Hey. Your name’s Mallory, right? Yeah. I’m Shawn. It’s nice to meet you. You probably are getting this a hundred times a day, but if you have any questions about the school or town just ask. Ty and I have lived here our whole lives. We can show you around if you’d like.”

She smiled her same smile that only seemed to look weird to Ty. He couldn’t quite figure out how it looked a little off. It seemed like how a robot would smile if it had only heard what one looked like.

“Thank you for the offer. I might take you up on that later. I have to get to class now though. I’ll see you two later in choir.”

Shawn called out after her. “I’ll see you in history before then!”

Ty whispered to him. “You’re trying too hard.”

She walked off towards the door. Mr. Brady opened it for her and as he walked out to perform his daily motivating the tardy to get to class. Ty and Shawn hurried from one Brady to the next. They made it to English a few minutes before class started and made their way towards their seats at the back near the windows.

The girls sitting in front of them sat aimlessly until they saw them coming.

“Hey. We saw you talking to the new girl out there. Did she tell you anything about where’s she’s from?”

Shawn answered them. “No, we didn’t ask though.”

“It’s just weird. Jamie said she overheard the people in the front office saying she didn't have any transfer papers. They thought her records must be sealed. Do you think she was in juvie, or is wrapped up in a crazy custody battle?”

The girl next to her gasped. “Maybe she grew up in one of those cult communes and was never allowed to talk about what happened!”

Shawn shrugged it off and Ty just shook his head.

“Now you’re just being ridiculous.”

The girls looked at Ty arrogantly.

“Than what do you think happened?”

Ty crossed his arm. “I don’t know, and I honestly don’t care.”

The school bell rang, and the remaining students rushed to their seats before Mrs. Brady could make an example of them. Class went as normal as boringly possible for Ty who almost fell asleep before the bell rang. He wished Shawn good luck on his math quiz next period. It would be more excited than the classes he had before lunch which couldn't come fast enough. When it finally came, he swung by his locker at the end of the left hall to grab his lunch before going to the choir room at the end of the right hall. He was glad that his school wasn’t very big. He was surprised when Shawn didn’t beat him there but sat down to eat anyways. His and the choir teacher made small talk. A few minutes later his friend strolled in with a smile on his face.

“Did you forget your lunch again?”

Shawn stopped dead, his eyes widened. He half whispered, “Dang it!” under his breath and hurried back outside. Mr. Moulden tried and failed to hide his laughter.

A few minutes later he came back in with a paper sack.

“I know that we give you an hour for lunch but that doesn’t mean we want you to spend it wandering the halls.”

“Sorry Mr. Moulden. I was in history class.”

Tyson looked confused for a moment. “Why? You know what, it doesn’t matter. How was the math quiz?"

Shawn groaned. "Uh, I don't know if I studied enough. There was no math on it at all, just questions about how to make good surveys. I'm not looking forward to getting them back tomorrow."

"Oh fun. I guess we are going to have to make tomorrow extra good to make up for it.” Tyson was now smiling. “Have you decided what we’re doing tomorrow? Hey, Mr. Moulden. We should sing him Happy Birthday in class.”

Tyson shot a slightly annoyed look at his best friend. “Uh, no. You shouldn’t.”

Mr. Moulden just laughed.

“So, what are you doing for it. Come on, you’re turning 18. We should do something fun!”

“It’ll have to be later. I’m biking over to Morraine.”

Tyson’s smile was gone. “You’re not really going to do it are you?”

Mr. Moulden looked concerned. “Do what Shawn? And why don’t you get your mother to drive you Shawn?”

Shawn was determined. “Morraine has the closest Coast Guard recruiting center. Mom doesn’t want me to join so I have to wait until I don’t need her to sign my paper.”

Their teacher’s look of concern deepened. “Do you really want to go behind her back like that?”

“I’ve wanted this since I was a kid. Mom wants me to wait until after college. She’s afraid I won’t be able to support a family as an enlisted.”

“Basically, he’s an only child and his mom really wants grandkids.”

Mr. Moulden ignored Tyson’s interruption. “Wasn’t your father career Coast Guard? What does he think?”

“He offered to sign the paper months ago but I’d rather mom be ticked at me than him.”

“Well, I just hope you’ve really thought about the consequences before you do this.”

Ty tried to change the topic and brainstorm things they could do for his birthday. A minute before the lunch bell rang again their teacher got called to the front office. He left Ty and Shawn while he went to see what was up. The rest of the school day went normally until final period.

At the beginning of choir class, they asked their teacher why he was called up to the office and he said he’d tell him after class. Practicing their songs for the concert had been much less frustrating with everyone in class singing better since their new addition. It made Ty cautiously warm up to the odd new student. When the final bell rang, he went up to talk with the teacher. Shawn listened in and they tried to talk softly because some other students lingered in the classroom.

“It was the organizers of the Spring Young Artists Competition. They said that half of your duet has gone solo Tyson. Registration is already closed but if you also want to do your own solo act, they will make an exception, but they are going to need to hear back by the end of today. And if you do want to enter they're going to need to know what instrument you'll be using."  
Shawn and Tyson were both shocked.

"Ty. You didn't tell me Tabs backed out of the duet.”

"She never said anything.”

“Are you still going to enter? You should. You’ve wanted to do it for so long.”

“I think still want to do it."

"Are you still going to play the piano?"

"Half of the people at SYAC do piano solos, that's why I never entered before. I thought making it a duet with a violin would make me stand out and give me an actual chance. I'm not good enough to just play the piano on my own."

"Then why don't you take lessons?"

The three of them stopped and turned to look at Mallory who had posed the question. She had been sitting on the bench two rows behind them listening to Adam talking about his expedition through the woods the night before. She looked unflinchingly at Ty.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but you were talking rather loudly. If you don't think you're good enough you could try getting better." She turned back to Adam who was droning on about how he was disappointed that the tracks he had followed half the night dead ended at a rock formation.

"Hey, Ty. That's not such a bad idea. You've talked about entering SYAC since we were kids.” He laughed. “So you should either try one of your father's bad attempts at a sea shanty on your guitar," Shawn exaggeratingly air ukuleled, "or do piano. But, let's face it, you're better at piano. You still have a few months to practice or get lessons. You don't have to be great at piano, you just have to be good at one song."

His teacher nodded. "I have to agree with Shawn."

"Ok, Mr. Moulden. Tell them I'll enter solo with the piano."

He smiled. “I’ll fill out the paperwork.”

Tyson and Shawn walked outside to get their bikes. Ty spent his ride home mulling over every song he’d ever heard only to think it was either too basic, too difficult, or would just sound weird on piano. He was so distracted he took a wrong turn. However, having lived in a 400-person town his whole life he knew every cut through and shortcut. He continued down the wrong road until it deadended at the thick woods that outlined the north edge of town. A middle-aged man was ruffling through the trunk of his jeep. He waved to Ty when he saw him. 

“Hello Tyson. Did you see Adam leaving?”

“Hello Mr. Webb. He was still talking with some kids in choir.”

“He’s too much like his mother. Thanks.”

Ty took the dirt path along the wood and followed it until he got to his cul-de-sac. He dropped his bike on the front lawn and walked inside. The front door lead directly into the living room with the dining room to his left and the door to the kitchen beyond it. He went directly to the stand-up piano leaning against the wall shared by the kitchen. To the right of the piano his mother kept a wicker basket of sheet music. She had competed in piano competitions when she was in high school with mixed success. There were several dozen books in the basket ranging from teaching the basics to movie scores to classical pieces from long dead composers. Tyson poured them out on the living room floor and started to shift through them. He took so long that his mother came home.

“Hello Tyson. How was school?” She saw him on the floor surrounded by piles. “What’re you doing over there?”

“Hey mom. SYAC called the school. I had to decide today whether or not to enter solo. I decided to try.”

“I’m glad. I do think you would have regretted it if you hadn’t.” She put her bag down on the kitchen table and walked over to him. “Did you decide to stick with piano?”

“Yeah. I’m a little better at that than guitar or singing.”  
She sat down next to him on the floor. “You could play and sing.”

“Uh, I’d rather just decide on something and start practicing so that I don’t look like an idiot on stage.”

She helped him root through the strewn sheets. In the middle she found a half-finished song scribbled in pencil.

“Tyson! Do you remember this? You were eleven and you tried writing a song for the talent show. But you kept re-writing and re-writing it because you wanted it to be perfect. Did you ever end up finishing it?” She laughed to herself. “I you remember how you spent a whole tree’s worth of paper trying to get it right but weren’t happy with it by the talent show, so you ended up just helping young Adam Webb with his skit on the creature of Boyett Woods.”

“I remember. It probably would have been better if Shawn and I had done the song I was writing. Our classmates didn’t really know that he was Mr. Webb’s son until then. Adam still gets teased about it; the ‘Boy-it’s crazy creature.’”

Jane’s mood turned a little somber. “I don’t know if the creature is all that crazy. I grew up with John Webb. When we were in high school several students went missing. That last thing we knew was that they had said they were going camping in Boyett Woods. Adam’s father started a club of students who went and searched the woods for any clues. Even before they went missing there are old stories of something dangerous and otherworldly in those woods. When John and his search party found the students’ campsite they said that they found blood and scratch marks like from the old tales. But most people thought they were crazy and eventually most of the search party denied it happed as well, saying it was just their minds playing tricks on them. But we did never find out what happened to our classmates. Most people now think that there was a fight, someone got hurt, and the others just ran away.”

Tyson had never heard that story and started feeling bad about what he had said about Adam. Then his mother’s phone rang.

“Hello Darling. Oh, that’s great. We’ll see you soon. I love you too.”

She smiled encouragingly and hung up the phone.

“Your father is getting off work early today and he will actually be home in time for dinner. I’m sorry to bring up such a sad piece of our town’s past. I’m very happy that you are going through with SYAC, but we can look though the music later. We’d better get started on dinner.”  
Tyson nodded in agreement. They left the music on the floor and went to the kitchen. They had just finished making a simple but hearty soup when the father come home. Over dinner they talked about his parents’ days at work and SYAC.

Mr. Reed turned to his son. “Ty. Do you have any plans this Saturday?”  
Tyson was still thinking about the missing students.

“Not really.”

“We are getting a large group and we could really use another hand. You’d be making the same rate as you did last summer, and it’d be a 12-hour shift. Also, the engine is giving us some trouble and Javier could use an extra hand if Shawn is free as well.”

“I’m in and I’ll ask him.” He sent his friend a quick text.

After they were done eating, Tyson moved the dishes to the kitchen, his mother put away the leftovers and his father washed the dishes. Halfway through Shawn replied to Tyson text saying he was willing to help out on Saturday. Once his chore what done, Ty snuck off to the living room. He grabbed a few classics he had been eyeing and started towards the stairs up to his room.

His mother called out from the kitchen. “Tyson. You did clean up that mess you made, right dear?”

“Uh, of course.”

He quietly snuck back, gathered the remaining scattered papers together and put them back in the wicker basket by the piano. He then made his way up the stairs and through the first door on the left. It was an average sized room with off-white walls mostly taken up by furniture such as the large wardrobe that compensated for the room’s lack of a closet. Oddly few of his clothes laid in the limbo between clean and dirty that is traditionally referred to as the floor. The most unusual feature of the room was the instruments cabled into his old desktop. He had paid for it all himself with the money he made working for his father over the past few summers.

He started his computer booting up and set the sheet music of centuries old classical music down on his old, sturdy, wooden desk. He pulled open the top drawer and took out some of the thick stack of hand-written scores. He had written them over the years for the variety of instruments he’d tried. He thumbed through them looking for something in particular. They were mostly half-finished guitar and drum songs, some were instrumental, others had lyrics about a wide range of topics. He cringed when he passed the song he had written for Tabatha. He couldn’t find what he was looking for in the stack.

By that time his computer had started. He went online to try and finish his chemistry homework. However, thinking about SYAC made it take twice as long as normal. After he was done he stared at his English book laying on his bed simultaneously talking himself in and out of doing his readings. He eventually opened his folder on his computer of all the songs he had gotten to the stage of starting to record. He listened discontentedly until falling asleep at his computer.

He woke up the next morning when his alarm started blaring at him. Both of his parents left before him so he didn’t have to be subtle when getting ready for school. He ran into Shawn outside of the school and wished him a happy birthday. In English class the teacher reminded them that they had three chapters due on Friday. Ty was only half paying attention because he didn’t get the best quality sleep slumped over his keyboard. Shawn seemed nervous and his friend wondered if he was actually going through with enlisting behind his parents’ back. Ty found the next two classes before lunch uneventful, perhaps in part to him almost falling asleep.

Shawn actually beat him to the choir room during lunch and remembered to bring his food with him this time. Mr. Moulden sang him happy birthday, promising not to do it during class. Ty really wanted to talk to him about joining the coast guard, but knew that Shawn had wanted this since they were kids. Shawn kept the conversation fixed on the math quiz he got back that didn’t go as horribly as he thought and then brain-storming ideas for how to celebrate his birthday. They eventually decided on going camping and fishing which had become a birthday tradition over the years. The bell rang before Ty could find a lull to bring it up the coast guard. Shawn hurried off to his class and Ty slinked to math. He was a little more awake, but now his distraction stemmed from worrying about his friend. He was happy when he got a descent score on his quiz but then mentally checked out until choir.

Shawn was more focused than usual in class. Other than that, things were starting to get back to normal. His classmates were getting better at an alarming rate, but Ty was too distracted to really worry about that. After the final bell rang Shawn shot for the door and Ty raced after him. He went straight for the back door next to the choir room and Ty caught him outside.

“Are you sure this is how you want to do this?”

Shawn didn’t turn around to look. “I know what I want out of life. I’ve always known.”

“Fine. I still think you’re doing it the wrong way, but, whatever. If you want to ruin your relationships that’s your decision.”

Shawn walked around the outside of the building, avoiding conversations with classmates leaving. Ty sat down against the wall next to the back door.

“He seems like a very determined individual.”

Ty had gotten lost in his thoughts and hadn’t noticed Mallory standing next to him. He was shocked when her voice came out of nowhere.

“Yeah. He’s always been like that.”

She sat down next to him staring off in the same vague direction over the open field next to the school.

“What are you worried about?”

Maybe it was her soothing tone, or maybe it was how much the whole situation was bothering him, but something made Tyson want to talk about it. “He wants this ideal life with military and family. He thinks everything is just going to work out eventually. But you don’t know his mom. She’s going to freak when she finds out he up and joined. She can seriously hold a grudge. She still gets angry at him for sneaking off without telling her when we were 12 to go camping with me and some friends in Boyett Woods.”

Mallory didn’t respond. Ty rested his head against the wall and started getting lost in his thoughts again.

“But he’s always known what he wants to do. And he’s always rushed off head first to do what he wanted.”

“And you always followed behind?”

Ty sighed. “Our moms have been best friends since they were kids. He’s four months younger than me and we’ve been best friends since the day he was born. He’d basically the brother I never had. But he just doesn’t think things through! I’ve had to save his life a few times because he just acts on his impulses and thinks it’ll all work out.

She continued. "If you stop bailing him out then he might actually learn from his mistakes. If you let him live in a fantasy with few consequences, then he’ll have a harder time learning how to live in reality.”

This struck a bit of a cord with Ty. “Yeah, I should just sit back and watch as he ruins his life without saying a word!”

Even though Tyson was getting heated, Mallory just continued to stare absently at their view of the open field between the high school and the combined middle and elementary school.

“You also can’t run his life.”

“You just don’t understand.”

He got up angrily and started towards the back door. “You can’t just pop up out of nowhere and act like you know everything about us.”

She still wasn’t fazed. “Sometimes a fresh perspective is helpful for balancing out those who can’t emotionally distance themselves.”

By this point Tyson was halfway through the door. He muttered under his breath while he went to his locker to get his backpack and homework. The girls who sit in front of him in English were droning on two lockers down from his and asked him what was up.

“Nothing! Just, some people can’t barge in like they instantly know what’s going on.”

They laughed. “Problems with the new girl?”

“Uhg. Just forget it.”

Jamie tried to bait him. “Well, it’s really not her fault, considering how she was raised.”

Ty fell for it. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, haven’t you heard? She listed her guardian as her grandmother. But the old lady she listed never had any kids. And she had no transfer papers from a previous high school. She claimed she was home schooled all her life. Frank said she probably came from that environmental cult they just broke up in Maryland or that she’s on the run from some really bad parents or the law.”

“Well, you and Frank are full of it.”

Tyson stormed off home and fumed until his mom got home. When she asked what was wrong, he ranted to her until his dad came home for dinner. By that time Ty was exhausted and his dad changed the subject. After dinner he laid down on the couch while his mom played peaceful piano. He hadn’t realized that he had nodded off until he heard the door bell ring. The room was completely dark. He turned on a light and went to open the door. Shawn was standing on the other side. He had a stuffed gym bag over one shoulder and red eyes.

“Hey. Would it be ok if I stayed over for a few days?”

Tyson sighed. “Yeah. You know the drill. The sheets for the pullout couch are in the foot rest. Breakfast is whatever you make.”

“Thanks.”

Ty was just too tired. He turned straight around, walked up the stairs, brushed his teeth, and went to bed.


	3. The Creatures in Boyett Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out what happened on Shawn's birthday and a glimpse of what took the students years before.

The next morning when Ty walked downstairs for breakfast Shawn was in the process of folding up the pullout couch. They avoided eye contact as Ty went into the kitchen to get a bowl of cereal. They almost ran into each other in the doorway as Ty took his breakfast to the table and Shawn was going into the kitchen for his own. Afterwards he joined him at the dining table. They sat in awkward silence; neither of them wanted to talk about the previous day. Ty finished his bowl first and as he took his dirty dishes into the kitchen to leave them on the counter he finally spoke up.

“Do you want me to wait for you?”

“Naw, I’ll meet you in class.”

Tyson grabbed his bike but intentionally peddled slowly, trying to let his friend catch up. However, Shawn must have also gone slow to try and avoid Ty and they didn’t cross paths until they were walking up the stairs to the front door of the school as the bell rang. When they got to English Mrs. Brady did her normal silent stare at the tardy students. Shawn just sarcastically said they’d meet her at lunch as they walked to their seats at the back.

After third period they kept their lunch appointment. Ty’s unsureness about how to get Shawn talking was turning into annoyance, but he couldn’t do anything about it during lunch because Mrs. Brady’s detention rule was that you had to spend the entire lunch hour quietly working on homework.

This continued the rest of the school day. In choir Mr. Moulden looked concerned at how the normally inseparable friends weren’t talking, especially considering he had an idea of what had happened. After school the two boys rode back to Ty’s house and dropped their bikes on the lawn. Once inside Tyson finally asked him.

“So, are you actually going to tell me what happened yesterday?”

Shawn sighed as he walked over to the couch and sat down. Ty sat on the piano bench. across from him.

“I rode over to the recruiter in Morraine. Told him my story, how I was ready to sign. He tried to get me to think more, but I kept telling him that I was ready. I signed my papers, scheduled my boot camp at Cape May after I graduate, and then rode home.” He pushed his hair back with the palms of his hands. “I was so excited to tell my parents… Dad congratulated me, and… Mom freaked out. After an hour of arguing with her, she told me to get out. She said that she was done letting me live in a fantasy and that it was time I learn how hard real life was.

Ty’s thoughts flashed back to what Mallory had said the day before.

"That's just stupid!"

Shawn was a little surprised by Ty’s response because he thought he would agree with his mom. Shawn half laughed.

“I know. But she’ll calm down in a few days, she always does.”

Ty knew that Shawn and his mom had argued about his career choice for years, but he could tell this fight hurt more than Shawn was letting on. He got up off the bench and walked over by the front door. He grabbed the knotted old walking stick out of the coat stand and, holding it like a sword, he tapped Shawn lightly on the head with it. His friend half-heartedly chuckled in response.

"We're not kids anymore you know."

“What? Afraid I’ll win?”

“You’ve never beaten me at sword fighting.”

Shawn's phone started to ring. He slid it out of his pocket and looked at the screen. As he answered he said, "It's Adam."

"Hey. Everything okay? Oh really, a sighting? Where? Yeah, I think I can get Ty to come too. We'll see you there. Yeah. Bye."

Ty turned to put his ‘sword’ away.

"You know, if you just said 'no' like everyone else we wouldn't get dragged along on these pointless hunts."

"Come on. Someone has to go."

"No, someone doesn't."

Shawn just gave his usual grin.

"Just so you know, I blame you for no girl in this town wanting to date either of us."

Shawn laughed. "Don't blame Adam for your problems."

Ty shoved his friend back onto the couch and walked outside to grab his bike. He texted his mom what they were up to before riding off with Shawn to the forest parking lot. Adam was helping his father unload camera equipment out of the back of their truck.

"Thanks boys. I got a really good tip that an adult miona was spotted by the eastern Boyett clearing near the Lahrein Caves. This could be it."

Adam handed them each two burgers that he and his dad picked up on their way over for an early dinner. Their two assistants knew their roles well. Shawn took the hand-held camera and Ty grabbed the sound equipment. Adam carried the larger camera while his dad kept looking at the map. They followed Mr. Webb, documenting his long monolog to the camera about the history of the legendary creatures in Boyett Woods. It took almost an hour of hiking to get to their destination. This was partially due to the weight of the equipment they were carrying, but mostly due to Mr. Webb occasionally getting distracted by the camera and going the wrong way. They finally came to an oddly circular clearing with a four-foot wide ancient, weathered stump in the middle. Mr. Webb started searching the ground around the stump for paw prints. Even though he was talking softly, he was quite audible due to their eerily quiet surroundings.

"The miona have very distinct paw prints that often get mistaken for coywolves. However, their claws are longer and leave a deeper grove. It's still too early in the spring for the pups to be born.” He glanced up at the sky. “It's almost sun down so they should be coming out soon to hunt. We'll circle this area keeping an eye out for him. Tyson, can you hand me my night vision goggles?"

"Yes, sir."

They spent the next hour slowly walking around the vicinity of the clearing but the only sounds they heard were the wind, bird calls, and Shawn's stomach. Finally, Mr. Webb called off the hunt and they headed back towards the car. As they started to hike out Shawn saw something that got him excited and he called to their leader. Mr. Webb laughed in a giddy manor when he saw what Shawn was pointing to. Near the base of one of the trees was deep claw marks. Shawn and Adam turned back on their cameras and pointed them at the scene.

"Here we have a classic miona evidence. They have two to three-inch claws on their hands and feet that are constantly growing leading them to need to continually wear them down. These deep cuts at the base of this tree could only be made by the miona uniquely powerful claws. Also, these marking are too low for most other clawed predators that have been seen in these woods but they are the perfect height for the miona which only grows to be about three feet tall."

Extremely happy with their find, their expedition returned in high spirits, except for Ty who just wanted to go get some sleep after the day he’d had. When they got back to the parking lot Mr. Webb loaded their bikes into the back of his truck along with his equipment and drove Ty and Shawn home.

They left their bikes on the front porch and went inside. Jane stopped playing the piano when they walked in. She gave Shawn a strict look.

“Shawn, your mother came to see me at work today.”

"What about?" Shawn asked nervously.

She turned to face him. "You know what.” She sighed. “Amber is quite angry this time. I tried to calm her down but didn’t make much head way. I think it would be best if we gave her some space while she calmed down. You are more than welcome to stay with us in the meantime."

"Thanks, Mrs. Reed."

She then turned to her husband half asleep on the couch.

“Wyatt, can you help Shawn with the couch.”

“Of course dear.”

Slowly Mr. Reed got up and helped Shawn make the pullout bed while Ty went upstairs to get ready for bed. Neither boy slept well that night.

The next day was Friday and it couldn’t have come sooner for Tyson. The next morning in English class their teacher was in a bad mood. They tried to have a group discussion on the chapters they were assigned to read but the long pauses between only two students answering questions made it clear that most people hadn’t done the reading.

“When I give you two weeks to read five chapters that isn’t optional! You are about to become adults. You need to work on your time management and priorities. I wanted to have a group discussion but if talking doesn’t seem interesting maybe writing will be. Pop quiz!”

She pulled out a stack of quizzes ready to go as if she knew she would be using them today. Most of the students groaned at this, including Shawn who had read even less than Tyson. This turn of events but a damper on Ty’s day until the final bell. His choir class quickly shuffled out except for Mallory who had stopped to ask Shawn how he was doing. He was happy for the attention but quickly changed the subject and asked how she was doing. She gave an equally dodgy answer, in Ty’s opinion, who proceeded to try and break up the conversation. However, Mallory didn’t follow his plan.

“You had a birthday this week, didn’t you? Did you do something special?”

“Uh, well.”

“Not yet!” Ty was louder than he intended. “We were going to wait until the weekend. We are going to spend the whole time camping and fishing.”

Shawn looked confused.

“Don’t we have to help your dad with that large fishing group tomorrow.”

“Dang, you’re right. I forgot.”

Mallory smiled. “Do you think he’d need an extra hand? I have two.” She raised them slightly as proof.

Shawn laughed at this very lame joke. “Thanks Mallory, but it’s tomorrow and you’d need to have a background check done by then and there’s just no time. But if you’re free Sunday you could go fishing with us.”

“Shawn! It’s always just been us who go fishing for your birthday.”

“Come on. We took Adam three years ago.”

“Thanks for the invitation Shawn, but I am going to be busy on Sunday. Thanks for the thought though.” Mallory smiled her usual way and walked off.

“Ty. Why are you being such a jerk to her?”

“Don’t you think that there’s something off about her?”

“So what if she’s not like the girls around here. That doesn’t mean that you can treat her like that.”

“But what she said about you, and your mom, and joining the guard…”

“What are you talking about? Wait, you told her about that?! Who else have you been telling?”

“No. This was right after school, when you left for Morraine. I was just sitting there and she came out of nowhere…”

“Calm down you two.”

Mr. Moulden had been sitting at his desk watching this play out. “Shawn. This is a small town and your mother is anything but subtle. She’s been raving to anyone and everyone who’ll listen about what happened. From what I’ve seen, both Tyson and Mallory are just concerned. He didn’t tell her any secrets.”

Tyson and Shawn both went quiet, but Shawn was obviously unhappy about the situation.

“Look Shawn. I’m sorry. She did seem like she wanted to make sure everything was ok. I don’t think I told her too much, but I am sorry.”

“Ok. Let’s just move on.”

“You want to go back to my house?”

“Not yet. It’s Friday, we should do something.”

“Well, we could swing by my house and pick up the fishing rods.”

Shawn smiled and nodded. They picked up their bikes on their way out of the school. The mood improved when they swung by Tyson’s house to pick up their rods (they each had spare rods at each other’s homes for such a case). Ty went to the kitchen to make sandwiches and grab the worms Tyson’s mom had brought home from work for Shawn’s birthday.

Leaving the house, they biked east the short distance to the coast on the northern edge of town. They followed the bike path that ran along the rocky shoreline. The cold winter breeze from the ocean coupled with the wind off their bikes made them shiver. After biking two miles north, the path along the shoreline veered inland. Sitting ten to fifteen feet above the ground were several large, flat boulders protruding into the water. These platforms were their special fishing spot. They sat down the bikes and readied their fishing lines. Years of practice had made them swift and soon they were throwing in their baited lines. The familiar scent of the sea and roll of the waves drifted away the stress of family, school, and competitions. Even two hours with little more to show for it than half eaten bait couldn’t ruin the effect. The sky was just starting to change color by the time they started back home.

Tyson’s mom was finishing up cooking the side dish while his dad, who had gotten home early, finished the entrée. They spent the rest of the evening eating, swapping exaggerated fish tales of the day and discussing their job tomorrow. The guys called it an early night since they’d have to get up at 4 the next morning. Jane staying up in the living room reading the latest historical fiction novel she’d rented from the small library in town.

Mr. Reed was the first up the next day and his noise woke Shawn on the pullout couch. Tyson wasn’t far behind. In the kitchen Ty grabbed the sandwiches that his dad had made the night before. He wasn’t surprised to find breakfast sandwiches from his mom hidden amongst them. She often made them when Ty and Shawn helped out on the boat. She didn’t even have to write their names on them, each was specifically tailored. After loading the family’s eight-year-old, gray pick-up, they piled in and ate their breakfast quickly during the ten-minute ride to the marina on the south side of town.

After unloading, Tyson dragged the cooler with their lunches packed in ice down the ramp and onto the metal floating dock. Wyatt’s boat was the last one in the row, but the largest by far. The other boats were small, family vessels while his was 54 feet long. It was pointed out to sea so that its name would be easy for customers to see. He had allowed his wife to name it and she choose Soaring Eagle. It was printed in large, dark green letters that stood out against the off-white paint of the rest of the boat. They climbed on board and Tyson walked into the glass enclosed cabin and through the wooden door that led down to the bunks underneath. There, he shoved the cooler snuggly under one of the beds.

When he came up Shawn was talking to a broad, middle aged man of average height. His black hair was buzzed. Wyatt saw his son come up and motioned to him.

“While Javier and Shawn check on the engine can you get the poles set up. Caleb just parked and we have some things to check.”

“Sure Dad.”

Everyone had their job and got to work. Shawn and Javier finished their maintenance just as Javier got called to help another boat at the marina leaving Shawn free to help Ty set up. With hard work, everything was ready when their group of clients arrived together at 6 am. It was led by a husband and wife who seemed to be celebrating something, along with ten or so friends. Mr. Reed introduced himself, his son, Shawn, and his first mate Caleb Efford who was also the only full-time employee he had. Everyone was very polite to the crew and they were quickly on their way out to the ocean.

It didn’t take long for Ty to find out what the couple was celebrating, and almost everything else about them. The group was very close and equally talkative. Jake and Emily Gillen were both classically trained chefs and co-owned a successful restaurant in Ocean City. They were celebrating their second restaurant being open for a year.

When they got to their fishing destination, Mr. Reed stopped the boat and lowered the anchor. Shawn stopped watching the engine like a mother bird and helped Tyson and Caleb get the lines ready for those who needed it. One of the older passengers noticed that the ship’s good looking first mate didn’t have a ring on his finger and started trying to set him up with her middle-aged daughter who was with them. Despite her prodding, Caleb kept it professional.

“You just can’t help but try to set people up can you Bridget.” Emily Gillen just laughed at the antics of her friend’s mother.

Bridget was undeterred. “I like to see young people enjoying their youth. It’s gone too quickly.” The white haired, short lady turned her attentions to the younger members of the crew. “What about you boys? Have you got someone special?”

She asked this mostly directed at Shawn who was baiting her hook. Tyson had excused himself to go down below to get snacks.

“Nope, we’ll be graduating soon and I’m not staying in town afterwards.”

This peaked Bridget’s interest. “Oh, so sure? What do you plan on doing after graduation?”

“I’m joining the Coast Guard. I’ve already signed up.” Ty could hear the pride in his friend’s voice from the hull.

Mr. Gillen and the man fishing next to him spoke up.

“That’s a big decision. What made you choose that branch though. I thought most boys want to grow up to be marines or join the army.”

Shawn had finished helping Bridget and turned to her daughter next.

“My father joined out of high school and I’ve wanted to do it my whole life.”

Mr. Gillen laughed. “I tried to get my son to do that. I joined the navy out of high school and worked as a cook on battleships. But Drake is lazy and just thumbed it around Europe after graduation.”

His wife cut in. “Come on Dear.”

“The good-for-nothing still hasn’t found a real career.” He signed and perked up. “But that’s not going to happen with our daughter, you mark my words.” He was now talking directly to his friend next to him. “We got her working in our kitchen every chance we can. We sent her application to a dozen cooking schools she just needs to choose one. I tell you, she already can go toe-to-toe with some of our chefs. Yeah, she’ll do us proud.”

Mrs. Gillen was getting obviously annoyed and eventually managed to change the subject. Shawn told the group that he was going to help Tyson with the food. When he walked down the stairs, he saw his friend sitting on the of the bunks and laughed softly.

“It’s safe to come out now.”

Tyson laughed.

“I’m just taking my union mandated 10-minute break.”

“Sure… your 10-minute break every 10 minutes.”

Ty lightly shoved his friend and finished grabbing the snacks and drinks from the cooler. They brought them up to the clients and passed them around.

The fishing trip lasted into the afternoon with only a short break for lunch. The crew continued to find out every detail about their clients lives until they docked back at the marina. After saying goodbye, Tyson and Shawn each got hugs from Bridget and Mrs. Gillen. When everyone had gotten to their cars, Tyson and Caleb finished cleaning up the deck and Shawn checked over the cooling engine. While going through his checklist he found something concerning so Caleb went to go find Javier. While waiting, the two boys took the chance to take the load off their feet and drink some water

“So, have you decided what you are going to do for your audition for SYAC? I thought it couldn’t be the same song that you do for the competition.”

Tyson groaned. “Oh great. I forgot about the audition. I’ve written so many songs, but I don’t think that’ll impress the panel. You went with me last year went I was just checking it out; you saw what they’re like. I don’t think I’m a good enough player for them.”

“What about what Mallory said, about taking lessons? Just because you don’t really like her doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good idea.”

“I know it’s a good idea. And I promise that I’ll be nicer to her, for you.”

Shawn grinned. “Thanks, because I was thinking about asking her out.”

“What?!”

Shawn laughed as his friend took the bait. Seeing that he was set up, Ty gave him a little shove.

Wyatt’s voice called out of nowhere. “Well, son. If you want lessons, you could go to the woman who taught your mom.”

“What?” Tyson and Shawn strained their heads around to look at the boat’s captain.

“Yeah, Mrs. Harper gave her lessons when Jane was still in school. Her husband died a few years back and I don’t remember her having any children so I’m sure she’d like the company. You should talk to your mom when we get home.”

By this time Caleb was walking back with Javier in tow. He looked at the boat’s engine and agreed that the part Shawn pointed out was getting worn down and should be replaced soon. He then left promptly with Caleb who offered to get the part. After finishing everything else on the boat, Shawn, Tyson, and his dad headed back home.

Jane was sitting in the living room reading her book when they walked in the door. She said that there was chilli on the stove and they could eat whenever they were hungry. Tyson asked her about Mrs. Harper.

“I think that’s a great idea! I still see her about every other month or so. She sometimes comes into the store to talk during our slow times. She is still giving lessons and I’m sure she’d love to teach you too. I’ll go get her number.”

With phone number in hand, Tyson called her up.

“Hello, this is Elaine Harper how can I help you?”

“Hello, this is Tyson Reed, Jane’s son.”

“Oh yes, Dear. How are you? I haven’t seen you since you were this tall. Your mother tells me you are graduating soon. You must be so excited.”

“I am. The reason I’m calling is that I’ve applied to the Spring Young Artist Competition and I was hoping that you could give me some piano lessons.”

“I’m so proud of you. Of course I’ll give you some lessons! Can you meet me tomorrow afternoon around 2? Your mother has my address.” She laughed. “It hasn’t changed since she used to come for lessons.”

“Thank you so much. I will meet you tomorrow.”

Before they poured themselves some dinner Mr. Reed gave Shawn and Tyson cash for their work that day.


	4. History of Life and Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyson starts taking piano lessons. He learns more about Mallory and Mallory learns more about the town.

After lunch the next day Tyson put on a small backpack and rode his bike over to the address his mother gave him. Mrs. Harper lived in a much older neighborhood on the north side of town that bordered the woods and the ocean. The street was filled with mature, drooping trees and craftsman houses. He stopped his bike in front of a two-story, faded blue house that backed directly against the woods. It had a no driveway, so Tyson walked up the concrete path to the front door. He leaned the bike against the house and rang the doorbell. Mallory answered it.

“Good afternoon Tyson. Mrs. Harper has been expecting you.” She turned and motioned him to enter.

“Wha…?” That’s all the syllables his shock would allow.

“Hello Tyson. Come in!” A kind looking, shorter woman with dark gray hair was sitting on a couch in the living room. She motioned him to join her inside.

The front door opened directly into a staircase and the living room. The smaller room contained an upright piano against the wall shared by the staircase and a maroon, patterned couch against the opposite wall on which the woman was sitting. There was a wood side table to Mrs. Harper’s left and floor lamp on the other side. To Tyson right, at the front of the house, was a large bay window with cushioned maroon window seat that matched the couch’s pattern. Opposite the window, at the far end of the room, was a closed door. The tacky, faded, floral wallpaper was broken up by many framed photos of a loving couple taken over the many decades of their shared life. Spread amongst them were photos of Mrs. Harper and children sitting on the piano bench. Presumably these were the students she had taught.

“You have your mother’s eyes.”

Mrs. Harper smiled warmly and motioned for Tyson to sit beside her on the couch. The room was comfortably lit from the light pouring in the window. He took on his backpack and placed it on the floor next to the seat he was motioned to.

“Ms. Mallory, would you grab the refreshments from the kitchen?”

She nodded and walked off through the door at the back. During its swing Tyson could see glimpses of a brightly lit, older kitchen.

Mrs. Harper started with pleasantries, asking how Tyson’s family was doing and how school was going. He responded with typical answers. Mallory returned with a wooden try containing glasses of lemonade and a plate of scones.

“These were your mother’s favorites when she was a young girl. I make them myself.”

“Thank you, mam, but you shouldn’t have gone to that much trouble.”

“Nonsense. Your mother was one of my best students and still helps me. You are welcome whenever you want.”

After serving the two on the couch, Mallory sat the tray down on the end table and grabbed some for herself. Then she sat down on the wide piano bench across from them.

“I’m glad you took my advice Tyson and decided to take lessons. But, I didn’t expect you to take them from my grandmother.”

His eyes momentarily widened. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know she was your grandmother.”

“That’s fine. Have you decided what you wanted to do for your SYAC audition or the performance?”

“No. But since I can’t do the same thing for both I was thinking of doing a modified version of the Tempest for the audition.”

They looked at him questioningly. Mrs. Harper spoke first.

“That’s a rather difficult piece. Most people would save that for the competition.”

“I know, but my mother and I have been playing a short duet version of it since I was a kid. I can do half of it already.”

“Can you show us dearie? It would help me learn your skill level.”

Tyson nodded in agreement and stood up. Switching places with Mallory he sat down on the worn, wooden bench. He opened up the piano and started to play his part of the song from memory. It sounded a bit odd as only half a song, but it was still recognizable to the perceptive ear. He fumbled parts of it due to nerves. When he had finished, he turned to his audience which was listening attentively. His teacher turned to his classmate.

“What do you think Ms. Mallory?”

“To play from memory is a positive sign but expanding his mastery of this song may be hindered by the obvious muscle memory. As he is now, this would not get him into the competition but with a month of intensive practice I believe we can mold him. However, that would not leave much time for the second song but at least there will be several weeks between the two. Even so, I would suggest that the second song you choose isn’t as technically taxing.”

“Should I use this for my competition song so that I have more time to practice?”

Mallory shook her head. “No. Many competitors will likely be sticking to the classics and they will have been practicing for years to hone those skills. To beat them you would need a level of technical precision that boarders on the surgical. However, the auditions are run by lower level judges who are looking more for general competence. They are more likely to choose someone who is at least competent with a difficult classic over someone who plays it safe with an easy song.”

Mrs. Harper smiled. “Very well. I do believe I will be able to help you practice for your competition. Would you like to start right away? There’s not much time left.”

“Ok. Do you charge lessons per hour or per session?”

“Neither. Your mother has done so much for me over the years, this is my way a giving a little back.”

“I can’t let you do…”

“Tish. I won’t accept a single penny.” She got up and shuffled over to sit beside him.

“Now, your mother was always slouching when she played and was very sloppy with her hand placement. I can see that she passed that on to you.”

Mrs. Harper walked Tyson through some of the basics before he took the long unused sheet music for the Tempest out of his backpack on the floor. They discussed its different movements and she played each with masterful precision. Tyson then tried his hand at sight reading his way through them. He wasn’t used to playing more than half of the notes. Mallory had moved to the bay window seat and was looking out at the sliver of water that could be seen between the houses across the street. She was still intently listening the whole time, stopping them every so often to make sure his teacher got water. Two hours slipped by in the blink of an eye and Tyson insisted that he should start towards home.

Mrs. Harper walked him to the front door and waved goodbye. He thanked her again, grabbed his bike, and started off. His thoughts distracted him on the ride back so much that he took the wrong turn several times. Using shortcuts, he finally made it home. Shawn was nodding off on the couch while Jane was sitting in the matching recliner next to it reading her book by the sunlight streaming in the sliding back door. Tyson was not quiet in his entrance, waking Shawn.

“So. How did it go Godzilla?”

His mother put down her book. “How is Mrs. Harper doing?”

“It went fine. She said she’d help me but won’t let me to pay her.”

Jane laughed. “She hasn’t changed a bit.”

“Did you know she had a granddaughter?”

She looked confused. “I didn’t know she had any children.”

Shawn joined in. “How old of a granddaughter?”

“It’s… Mallory.”

“What?!”

“Yeah. She was the one who opened the door when I knocked.”

“She was there?”

“Yeah. She stayed the whole time. It was kind of weird.”

His mother tried to get him them back on topic. “But how did the lesson go? Was it helpful?”

“Yeah, Mrs. Harper’s really good. We are going to do the Tempest for my first song to get in the competition but choose the second song later if I actually get picked.”

“That makes sense. How many movements of the Tempest are you going to do?”

Tyson’s eyes widened a little at his mom’s question. “I’ll start with one and see how many I can get good enough at before the first round of competition.”

“How often are you going to practice?”

“Uh. We didn’t talk about that.”

She shook her head. “Her number is in my phone, just give her a call. Also, don’t let your practicing interfere with your school work.”

Shawn hadn’t gotten up off the couch yet. “See, it’s a good thing I told you to take only easy classes your last semester.”

Tyson scoffed. “You’re the one who wanted to take Prob. Stats.”

Shawn’s eyes widened. “I forgot about our homework!”

While his friend struggled to get up off the coach, Tyson called up Mrs. Harper again and they agreed to meet three school nights and Sunday nights every week until at least his first recital. After hanging up, both boys worked on the forgotten math assignment until Jane roped them into helping her cook and clean up dinner. When it was ready Mr. Reed walked in the door. He also had left after lunch to meet with Caleb about the new part for his boat’s engine. He had a very solemn expression.

“What is it Dear?”

“The police questioned us at the marina. Mr. and Mrs. Gillen died yesterday driving home from our fishing trip. There were hit by a train at an unmarked train crossing. The cops wanted to know exactly when they left and whether we knew if they had been drinking.”

Shawn and Tyson stared at each other and then back at Mr. Reed.

“What?”

Shawn stammered. “They can’t be. We just saw them; they were fine.”

“I’m sorry. Sometimes these things happen. Police wouldn’t tell us if they knew why the accident happened.”

They sat down for dinner, but conversation was sparse. After cleaning up everyone retired to their own space to think. None of them slept well that night.

School the next day started like any normal day until lunch time when Shawn showed up to the choir room with Mallory.

“I wanted to apologize about yesterday, Tyson. I didn’t mean to surprise you.”

Tyson was starting to get less surprised at her showing up again. “No, it’s fine.”

She smiled her usual odd smile. “I’m glad.”

Tyson felt he had a little leeway to push her. “I did hear that you were living with your grandparents, but I also heard that the Harpers never had kids, so I didn’t expect you to be there. And you just sat there for two hours and didn’t say anything, which was a little weird.”

The expression on Shawn’s face suggested that the question may be rude. But, as usual, Mallory wasn’t fazed.

“First of all, Tyson, you shouldn’t listen to gossip. Secondly, I am living in that house, so I have a right to sit in the living room. And lastly, it would have been rude to talk while you were playing.”

Not being one to be impacted by his best friend’s attempts to civilize him, Tyson continued.

“But Mrs. Harper never had kids, how can you be her granddaughter?”

Shawn butted in. “Ty, you’re just being rude. Mallory, you don’t have to tell us anything about yourself that you don’t want to.”

“I have no problem telling anyone who asks instead of talking behind my back.” The subtle jab could be sensed even through her gentle, almost monotone voice. “Before Mrs. Harper moved here and got married, she taught piano to my mother and loved her like a daughter. They kept in touch throughout the years and when my mother died from a boating accident a month ago, Mrs. Harper took me in so that I wouldn’t become a ward of the state. So yes, Mrs. Harper has no children, thus is not my biological grandmother, and is technically just my guardian.”

Shawn, noticeably trying to be sensitive, asked, “What about your father?”

“My parents were never married, and the woman he married later hates me.”

Tyson started to feel guilty. “I’m sorry that I…”

She stopped him. “I’m not looking for sympathy. I know that it’s my house right now, but if someone watching you play is that much of a problem I’ll avoid the living room while you’re there. Besides, we got a semester long, 80-page, partner research paper and project in History last class and Shawn suggested we team up.”

Tyson shot a glance towards Shawn who returned with a sheepish look.

“So, he and I can work together quietly in the kitchen during your lessons if it’ll make you feel less nervous about having people watching. But you will eventually need to overcome that nervousness before your audition. There will be dozens watching you then and if you make it to the competition there will be almost 200 in the audience.”

“I guess.”

Tyson didn’t like feeling beaten but opted for a strategic retreat. Mr. Moulden walked in and the conversation switched to their end of the year concert for the rest of lunch.

After school the three of them grouped up in the choir room since it was one of the days Tyson was supposed to take his lessons. The school was closer to Mrs. Harper’s house than Tyson’s, so Mallory typically walked to school. Shawn offered to walk his bike over with her so that they could discuss what they wanted to do their project on. Tyson rode on ahead and got to the house about five minutes before them.

Shawn left his bike next to Tyson’s outside and they walked in and past Tyson’s piano posture practice on their way through to the kitchen. Shawn and Mallory finished picking a topic before Tyson’s lesson ended. They had to do research before they could really start working on their project, so they spent the rest of the time talking about the history of Eaglewood. Shawn knew a lot, having lived in the same town his whole life. Occasionally Mrs. Harper had to remind him to talk quieter.

After Tyson’s lesson the two boys said goodbye and rode to Tyson’s house for dinner. The mood had improved from the day before. After eating, Shawn challenged Tyson to a sword fighting dual and after half an hour won, as usual. That night Tyson got well needed sleep, but Shawn kept waking up from nightmares.

At school the next day Shawn showed up for lunch with Mallory again. Tyson was starting to get used to her quirks and they didn’t bother him as much as they had the previous week. Conversations didn’t go on very long because Tyson’s and Shawn’s math teacher had assigned a project where they had to design their own survey and administer it with as little bias as possible. Tyson was pleasantly surprised by how much help Mallory was with it. She said that she had already passed a probability and statistics class before. She was even able to explain the concepts better than their teacher had. By the end of the lunch hour they had finished designing the experiment. They planned it so that the intended audience was fishermen who buy bait so that they could get Jane to pass out the surveys at her work.

After choir class a few hours later, Tyson was in a great mood and suggested that they go fishing. Shawn agreed but wanted to ask Mallory. Ty finally conceded and she agreed when asked. After getting directing eye gestures from his best friend Tyson offered to ride home and pick up the gear while Shawn walked Mallory to the boardwalk on the eastern edge of town. When Tyson finally finished running his errand, he found the two of them sitting on the edge of the boardwalk with their legs dangling over the water. Shawn had a scared look on his face.

“And I feel her hugging me and see them walking back to their car and waving goodbye. Sometimes I even hear the train whistle before it ploughs into them. I hear their cries. I try to move but I can’t; I try to yell, but I can’t; I try to wake up before it hits, but when I fall back asleep it just keeps happening again and again.”

Tyson saw the same expression on Mallory’s face as the day he confided in her about Shawn joining the Coast Guard. He sat down next to Mallory silently as Shawn’s eyes started to moisten on the other side of her.

Mallory was the one to speak next. “Death, especially sudden death, is a hard thing to process. There is no easy way to make the nightmares go away. The fact is that everyone will eventually die.”

“I guess. But I never really thought about it until Mr. and Mrs. Gillen did. But I guess you had to when your mother… suddenly passed.”

For the first time Tyson heard a bit of emotion in Mallory’s voice. “I’ve dealt with death a lot in my life. Where I’ve lived many died. I’ve come to except that death is a part of life for all humans no matter how you feel about them.”

Tyson joined in. He couldn’t explain it, but there was something that drew him to speak. “I’ve had to accept that people I love can die from a young age. My actual father died before I was even born and when I was young, my stepfather would go on several month-long contract fishing trips. I developed insomnia when he was gone, and mom kept taking me to doctors to try to fix it. Several times we’d hear on the news that a sailor had fallen overboard, and the coast guard was looking for him. That had happened to him once before he met my mother, that’s actually how he met Shawn’s dad who introduced him to my mom.”

“You both grew up with it, but my dad never talked about the people he couldn’t save, and I’ve never lost anyone before. I didn’t even really know them, and I probably would have never seen them again. But after learning so much about them on that trip, hearing their plans for the future that sounded so much like our classmates and them just… dying like that. It could have been anyone, why was it them?”

“Honestly, you will probably never know why it happened. You will have to learn to move past it. You will see a lot more of death in your life, especially after you join the Coast Guard. I’ve met and known a lot of military members in my life; it’s not about being a hero and saving people, it’s about learning to deal with the consequences of your actions and dealing with the repercussions of when you eventually make the wrong choice.”

Tyson sighed. “I don’t really want to go fishing anymore.”

Mallory took the hint. “What else is there to do in this small town?”

Shawn half laughed. “You can always get in some trouble. Sherriff Ramona was one of mom’s best friends growing up, so she lets us off easy.”

Mallory glanced through the shops and lined the boardwalk. There were your typical tourist swag stores, equipment rentals, a B&B, and the old restaurant that people went to despite the food being terrible.

“There’s not a lot here but we could bike over to Morraine. They at least have a movie theater.”

Mallory’s eyes finally made their way to the last building on the end. “There’s a museum here?”

Tyson winced a little. “It’s not really a museum so to speak.”

“It still might be interesting.”

Shawn laughed. “She has to see Eaglewood’s landmark.”

Not convinced, Tyson stood up with them and they walked over. It was a brick, one-story building which looked well maintained. It had two separate doors. Swinging over the left door was a hanging sign that said “Eaglewood Maritime Museum”. When they walked in the door, they found Adam Webb sitting at the front desk typing on a laptop. He was excited when he saw them.

“Hey guys! I don’t see you two around here much anymore. Hi, Mallory. I’m glad you found someone to show you around town. This here is the pride of our little town. The little bay right outside that window had played a part in some major ship wreaks, naval rescues, pirate raids, battles, you name it. The town owns this museum so it’s free to residents. Look around as much as you like Mallory, we consider you one of our own.”

She smiled in her normal way. “Thank you very much.”

Shawn started leading her through the exhibits and plaques. Adam’s claims of the town being part of major events seemed exaggerated, but Mallory was polite. Tyson stayed behind to talk to Adam. The tour didn’t take long and when they had gone through the two rooms Adam suggested that they look at the other museum next door. Shawn laughed and led Mallory outside, leaving Tyson talking with Adam. The right door to the building didn’t have a hanging sign but there was a painted, wooden sign in front of it that read “Living Myths of Eaglewood” in large letters. In small print underneath it said, “Not Myths Anymore”. Intrigued Mallory went inside with Shawn.

Mr. Webb was sitting at the front desk typing on a laptop. “Hello Shawn, I haven’t seen you around here much anymore. I was looking at a picture of the claw prints you found last week… Who’s your friend?” He got up and walked over to shake her hand. “I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure.”

“This is Mallory, she just moved here.”

“Oh yes, Adam talked about you. I’m his father, he’s in your choir class.”

She smiled her usual smile. “I remember. You have a very nice son, you should be proud of him.”

He beamed back at her. “I am. Now please, come in. You can see what your friend Shawn here has been helping me with.”

He motioned her into what looked like a mix of a museum and store. There were tables set up along the wall facing the street with shirts, mugs, postcards, and the like, but on the other three walls were photos, display cases, and articles that were grouped under different signs. They read: “Miona”, “Sirens”, “Wendigo”, “Dewayyo/The Hairy Howler”, “Wampus Cat”, and “Boyett Eagle.”

She walked over to look at the displays.

“This area has a long, documented history of resident creatures that many choose not to believe exist. I’ve dedicated my life to proving that they do.”

Mr. Webb led her through the stories and evidence. Shawn was happy that she was being so nice about it, asking questions and nodding politely.

He had recorded Indian folklore of the Miona and photo evidence suggesting they were still in Boyett Woods. He had old ships’ logs describing female singing being heard before the sailors on watch disappeared. There were trappers’ journals of finding half eaten people whose injuries didn’t match those made by animals and seeing strange creatures which matched the descriptions of Wendigos. There was a newspaper article of a group of students chasing a humanoid wolf down from Maryland decades prior and subsequent articles of similar humanoid wolves being seen in Boyett Woods. There were blurry photographs and eyewitness accounts of women changing into non-indigenous felines. Finally, Mr. Webb made his way to the last group.

“Now this is the animal that gave our town its name. In 1664, a ship sailing out of Wachapreague got caught in a nasty fog so thick that they couldn’t see more than ten feet in front of their faces. Suddenly, the captain saw an eagle with a 15’ wingspan fly past. He ordered the boat to turn in the direction it flew. The bird made several other passes over their ship, guiding them into the harbor and safely onto the beach. The crew of the ship settled in the woods along the beach and this became a safe haven during storms. Over the next century there were several more sightings of the eagles guiding ships to safety during heavy fog and deadly storms. But the reports stopped when they built the lighthouse on the peninsula.”

“Were the eagles ever seen anywhere other than the ocean?”

“I haven’t found any record of that.”

At this point Tyson walked through the door.

“Hey Shawn, mom called and said it’s time to get home for dinner.”

“Ok. Thanks for giving us a tour Mr. Webb.”

“No problem at all. It’s good to see more than tourists in my shop.”

Mallory also thanked him as she walked outside with the boys.

“Thank you both for the lovely afternoon. I should also get home for dinner.”

“How about you have dinner with us?”

She smiled her usual smile. “I appreciate the invitation, but I would need to get permission from Mrs. Harper first.”

Tyson sighed softly. “Then how about tomorrow we ask her if you can come over for dinner this Friday?”

“That’s a wonderful plan.” Smile. “I really should be getting back. I’ll see you both at school tomorrow.”

As she waved as walked off Shawn turned to Tyson and gave him an exaggerated thumbs up. Tyson shoved him softly and they grabbed their bikes and unused fishing gear and rode home.

After school the next day Shawn and Mallory went to the library to research for their projects and Tyson went to his lessons. Mrs. Harper was all too happy to give her consent to Mallory going over for dinner on Friday but declined going herself.


End file.
